Haematology p186 Flashcards
components of blood
plasma 55%
red blood cells 44%
WBCs, platelets 1%
plasma components
7-9% proteins
90% water
- 1% sugar
- 03% urea
- 9% salt
red blood cells
carry oxygen and Hb
release ATP which cause vessel walls to relax to promote blood flow
when lysed pathogenically by bacteria the Hb in the RBC produces free radicals which break down the bacterial cell membrane destroying it
anaemia is
reduction of Hb in blood (not necessarily red cells)
- red cell reduction is indicative of marrow failure
anaemic pt have below average Hb
av male Hb
13.5-17.5g/dl
anaemia male - <13g/dl
av female Hb
12.0-15.5d/dl
anamic female 11.5g/dl
general clinical features of anamia
hypoxia - compensatory changes = inc HR + SV = CO
pallor - due to vascular constriction in skin
fatigue
tachycardia (to try and make up for poor oxygen transport)
may develop a murmur
in elderly it can manifest as palpitations, dyspnoea, angina and signs of caridac failure
histological classifications of anaemia
hypochromic microcytic (pale small cells)
- iron def, thalassaemia, some chronic disease
normochromic normocytic (normal colour, normal size)
- chronic disease (heart failure, renal failure), acute blood loss
macrocytic (large cells)
- megaloblastic (B12, folate), aplastic, liver disease
classes of anaemia
haematinic deficiency anaemias
haemaglobinopathy anaemias (globin chains)
marrow failure anaemias (reduced RBC)
3 marrow failure anaemias
aplastic anaemia
acute leukaemia (neoplastic proliferation of leukocytes, usually disseminated)
lymphoma (neoplastic proliferation of leuokcytes, usually solid tumour)
2 haemoglobinopathy anaemias
thalassaemia
sickle cell anaemia
haematinic deficiency anaemia (2)
iron deficiency anaemia
perncious (B12) megaloblastic (B9/folate) anaemias (def B12 and folic acid)
iron def anaemia
Causes include chronic blood loss, malabsorption of iron (coeliac disease), dietary deficiency, increased physiological demand (e.g pregnancy, puberty), Low ferritin (stores and releases iron)
Clinical features include
- Kolinychia (concave nails)
- Pruritus (itching)
- Angular Stomatitis
- Painless glossitis (beefy tongue)
Low Hb, Low MCV + MCH
pernicious megaloblastic anaemias
def B12 and folic acid
Both B12 and Folic acid needed for DNA synthesis in maturing erythroblasts
- Def. in either causes erythroblasts to have large nuclei= megaloblasts in marrow
B12 absorbed by intrinsic factor in terminal ileum
Folate absorbed in the duodenum
Clinical features include
- Painful glossitis
- Demyelination of the spinal cord
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Ataxia
Low Hb, High MCV
Thalassaemia
Normal Hb production
Genetic mutation of globin chains
- α chains (Asian)
- β chains (Mediterranean)
Clinical features include
- Chronic Anaemia
- Marrow Hyperplasia
- Spenomegaly
- Cirrhosis
- Gallstones
Treated w/ blood transfusions
Prevent iron overload
sickle cell anaemia
β chain substitution
Changes shape in hypoxic environment (prevents passage of cells through capillaries)
Heterozygous- Sickle cell TRAIT
Homozygous- Sickle Cell DISEASE
Clinical features include
- Vascular Occlusion
- Retinal Ischaemia
- Acute chest syndrome
aplastic anaemia
Diminished or absent Haematopoetic precursors in bone marrow
Present as, Pancytopenia, Macrocytosis (inc. MCV), reticulocytopenia (immature RBCs)
acute leukaemia
Accumulation of malignant white cells in bone marrow and blood
Malignant cells tend to be precursors (blast cells)
Two types Acute MYELOID leukamia and Acute LYMPHOBLASTIC leuakaemia
Neutropenic- ROU
Thrombocytopenia- Mucosal Bruising, Petechiae, epistaxis (nosebleed) and Gingival Hypertrophy
lymphoma
Malignant lymphocytes accumulating in Lymph nodes
- Lymphadenopathy, Peripheral vasculature, even organs
Nodular Lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NLPHL) - malignant B cells lying in a meshwork of folicular dendritic cells and reactive lymphocytes
Classical Hodgkin’s Lymphoma- neoplastic B cells amongst Reed-Sternberg (RS) cells and plasma cells + eosinophils
Presence of RS cells determines whether it is a Hodgkin’s or Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
normal RCC
male
4.7-6.1 million cells/mcL
usually normal in anaemia
check if normochromic/cytic
normal RCC
females
4.2-5.4 million cells/mcL
usually normal in anaemia
check if normochromic/cytic
WCC normal
between 4.5 and 10.0 thousand cells/mcL
MCV is
mean corpuscular volume (volume RBC’s take up, a.k.a size)